Protein out of thin air? What the?
Teresa Romanovsky • September 20, 2021
The world is seeing a vastly growing population. The United Nation's Population Division estimates that the world’s population will reach the staggering heights of 10 billion people by 2050; that's an inconceivable increase of 2 billion people in less than 30 years. This mass increase of people will mean food-based companies will need to increase land usage and resources for production.
Already food production and agriculture use almost half of Earth's land surface. The increased population threatens to consume yet more fertile lands. If this is not enough, scientists can credit food production activities for more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire transportation sector. The emissions include developing crops and livestock, converting land to agriculture, transportation, retail sales, food consumption and food waste resulting in approximately 16 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.
The last couple of years have seen an extraordinary introduction of science-based foods with individuals and companies exploring traditional land-based food production alternatives. Air Protein has taken inspiration from NASA scientists in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Scientists had well-considered ideas about growing protein-rich food to sustain astronauts during the Apollo space programme.
Dr Lisa Dyson is the founder of Air Protein. Her impressive realm of qualifications include a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Fullbright scholar with Master of Science (MS) in physics from the University of London, Degrees in mathematics and physics with an emphasis on quantum fields and fundamental forces from Brandeis University. If that isn't armoury enough, she's researched bioengineering and physics at Stanford, MIT, University of California, Berkeley and Princeton.
In partnership with Dr John Reed, an expert in chemical and biological energy storage and conversion technologies, they leveraged NASA's ideas and created an innovative technology that produces meat products from CO2. The formation of Air Protein will allow them to take this technology to go mainstream. They understand that if 10 billion people need feeding sustainably, urgent new technology is required. Together, they are reshaping how food is made on Earth in a matter of days instead of months without using any arable land and far less water. Production techniques are vertical and are independent of weather conditions and geographic location.
Interestingly, Air Protein flour is a complete protein. It contains all nine essential amino acids necessary for the human diet. The amino acid profile is comparable to animal protein. It boasts double doses of amino acids compared to the protein made from soybeans. Air Protein flour is fermented to make a protein that is rich in vitamins. It is entirely free from hormones, antibiotics, pesticides and herbicides. Air Protein is a versatile protein flour with exceptional water and oil holding capabilities that allow food technologists to create different textures and flavours such as steak, chicken, seafood and fish. The air protein takes 2000 times less water than soy protein. The most staggering comparison is the length of production time. For example, to produce a steak takes, on average, two years. Not only is the farmer feeding and caring for the cow constantly with various nutrients, but vast amounts of greenhouse gases are created, and the animal is finally slaughtered. Air protein takes a matter of days, uses no arable land and has zero greenhouse emissions.
As of January 2025, Australia has taken a significant step towards greater corporate accountability and transparency by introducing mandatory climate-related financial disclosures. This and requirements like it are helping to push business into action with 54% of those surveyed by Future Focus feeling the pressure from regulatory requirements. This policy, designed to align with global standards, requires for now very large entities to report on their climate-related risks, opportunities, and actions. While this move is essential for a more sustainable economy, it is also poised to have a profound impact on the job market, particularly in the areas of sustainability, ESG and compliance.
As new sustainability roles emerge in the fight against climate change, Australia faces the challenge of developing and attracting the talent needed to fill them.
In recent developments within the corporate sector, a substantial shift toward differentiating pay based on employees' work location has emerged. This change has sparked considerable debate over its potential effects on workplace equity and inclusion. Detailed insights from industry surveys and research studies, such as those conducted by Herbert Smith Freehills and KPMG, illustrate a growing trend where one-third of employers express intentions to pay remote workers differently than their in-office counterparts. This approach, particularly noted in Australia, involves 38% of senior executives who believe remote working should be a privilege contingent upon trust and seniority. About 37% of these executives are considering implementing pay differentials between remote and in-office staff within the next three to five years.